Death knell? 1998 Redux?

[Rene88]

I just want to say something that seems in defense of DD but its more the reality.I know for a fact that his hands were tied about signing some of the big producers last year,and the edict came from the executive offices.Its why we won't sign Davis too, and probably any others.Its not just being "cheap", its PA's "budget" constraints and like it or not, that is coming from upstairs.In contrast, Toronto has a virtual open check book and a willingness to use it.So while its easy to blame DD, he only had so many options on who to sign and for how much.That said, I still think the Cruz deal will end up being somewhat of a "bargain". No Boras client will re-sign with Baltimore from what I know.

Wow. Proof from above.

Good Ole' Petey....

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[theobird]

If what he's done has gutted our system, then our system didn't have enough guts to begin with, and that's the real problem.

OK then. Lets re visit this conversation next year at the allstar break.

[eddie83]

They still have a boatload of money coming off the books this year. The question is how will they spend it?

[Nevermore]

I just want to say something that seems in defense of DD but its more the reality.I know for a fact that his hands were tied about signing some of the big producers last year,and the edict came from the executive offices.Its why we won't sign Davis too, and probably any others.Its not just being "cheap", its PA's "budget" constraints and like it or not, that is coming from upstairs.In contrast, Toronto has a virtual open check book and a willingness to use it.So while its easy to blame DD, he only had so many options on who to sign and for how much.That said, I still think the Cruz deal will end up being somewhat of a "bargain". No Boras client will re-sign with Baltimore from what I know.

I'm sure that this is true. However, how many players did DD sign who wound up DFA'd as dead money (or mostly dead money)? De Aza, E. Cabrera, D. Young, W. Wright, T. Snider, B. Norris. Surely at least one of the big producers (I'm thinking of Cruz) could have been resigned for the same amount as all that dead money.

[fansince71]

Could not agree more......we had a great team last year and then chit the bed in the off season.

[TouchemAll]

I'm sure that this is true. However, how many players did DD sign who wound up DFA'd as dead money (or mostly dead money)? De Aza, E. Cabrera, D. Young, W. Wright, T. Snider, B. Norris. Surely at least one of the big producers (I'm thinking of Cruz) could have been resigned for the same amount as all that dead money.

Its called dumpster diving within the PA Budget constrains, you win some you lose some, last year DD won some, this year he lost BIG TIME.

[sportsfan8703]

After a no hitter we didn't drop any games to the NYY, LAA. However we are in a dog fight with TB, Min and Texas. Its a 6 team race for 2 spots. I'd like our chances a bit better if we got a bat and another reliever. Somehow, someway.

[25 Nuggets]

I just want to say something that seems in defense of DD but its more the reality.I know for a fact that his hands were tied about signing some of the big producers last year,and the edict came from the executive offices.Its why we won't sign Davis too, and probably any others.Its not just being "cheap", its PA's "budget" constraints and like it or not, that is coming from upstairs.In contrast, Toronto has a virtual open check book and a willingness to use it.So while its easy to blame DD, he only had so many options on who to sign and for how much.That said, I still think the Cruz deal will end up being somewhat of a "bargain". No Boras client will re-sign with Baltimore from what I know.

Yeah but I don't see how signing Davis (or Heyward or Upton or...) affects the budget unless there are other expensive pieces the team want to sign. You can pay him $20 mil/season and still be $20 mil under the budget cap. I think there's an additional edict not to pay a large contract to a single player.

[NashLumber]

Regarding the death knell:

Sometimes the metaphors seem more clear with a little more distance from the event. It could very well be. That said, it feels more like sands slipping away in an hour glass. Too much to do with too little time left to do it.

And a little bit of this.

[clapdiddy]

I see some similarities, but that O's team was an aging team, with a core that was breaking up. This team is much younger.

We could certainly use a more consistent starting pitcher or two, but I don't think we're in the dire straits that 1998 team was.

[LookitsPuck]

I can't defend Duquette. Like it or not he has a $120m payroll. He's the same guy that gave Ubaldo a 4 year deal. The same guy that tendered contracts to Matusz AND Hunter then traded Webb AND a draft pick for salary dump players (that he then let walk). The same guy that tendered De Aza a contract. Young. Parmelee. Reimold. Traded solid minor leaguers for Snider.

Blame it on Angelos all you want...but if this is really Duquette I'm beginning to think he got lucky with the team he inherited. In another words, Buck made him look better than he really is.

[LookitsPuck]

Its called dumpster diving within the PA Budget constrains, you win some you lose some, last year DD won some, this year he lost BIG TIME.

$120m isn't chump change. Look what the Athletics, Royals, and Rays have been able to do.

All that and Duquette has left the minor league system barren because he hasn't instituted much that has yielded developmental effects.

[ExileAngelos]

So 15 years of misery on the way?

[Herman]

Common sense isn't common to the Orioles' front office. They let a golden opportunity get away and they have no one to blame but themselves. I'm not happy that I was right about the team this year.

[Herman]

They still have a boatload of money coming off the books this year. The question is how will they spend it?

They won't...unless of course they want to spend another $20 million on players that get DFA